Lutheran Hispanics thank the LWML for Convention Offering. LCMS Pacific Southwest District President Larry Stoterau expressed a warm thank you to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League for the gift of over $23,000 to the Lutheran Hispanic Lay Training Program during the third National Convention of Lutheran Hispanics in Orlando, Florida. The funds were gathered in the second offering of the LWML Convention which was held in Portland last month.
In greeting the 225 attendees and some of their children, LWML President Janice Wendorf cited the Mission Statement of the LWML, which is “… to assist each woman of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod in affirming her relationship to the Triune God so that she is enabled to use her gifts in ministry to the world.” Lutheran Women in Mission continues to provide resources to their Hispanic sisters – beginning with the first translation of LWML materials in 1982. Leaguers were urged to invite Spanish-speaking friends to the convention in1995 as all business sessions were offered simultaneously in Spanish and English, and since the Spring 2004 issue, the Lutheran Woman’s Quarterly has published a Spanish translation of one Bible study in each issue. President Wendorf shared that Bible studies from past issues are archived and accessible through the LWML Web site, www.lwml.org, where additional Spanish resources also are available to order on-line or through the LWML catalog.
President Wendorf stated that in 2001 the LWML recognized the need for the organization to reflect the diversity in the church and began a long term investment by developing the Heart to Heart Sisters program. Since the first program was offered at the 2003 LWML Convention, more than 100 ethnic women have participated, about one-third of whom are Hispanic.
“We celebrate the leadership of these talented women. Indeed we have much to learn from each other. More than 12 of the Heart to Heart Sisters have been appointed to committees to serve on the national level of the LWML,” affirmed President Wendorf. Inviting those gathered, the LWML President shared the vision and plans for the LWML through a workshop held on Thursday afternoon at the convention.
There are more than 44.7 million Hispanics in the United States, but only about 10,000 are members of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Hispanic ministries, acknowledging its unity in the LCMS through its convention theme – One Mission, One Message, One People— joins with others in seeking God’s grace to work toward adding to those numbers.